Step-by-step procedure · 6 min read
WES credential evaluation from Cameroon
WhatsApp: +237 6 87 25 79 67Call
WES holds your Cameroonian degree up against the system of the country you are heading for and says what it is worth there. For Canada, it is one of the organisations IRCC designates. This page follows the procedure as WES and IRCC describe it — starting with what does not need translating.
By Talla Naoussi Arnold, translator — Master II in translation, ASTI, Buea · Updated 25 September 2026
What WES does, and what it does not
World Education Services evaluates qualifications earned outside the destination country. It does not award degrees, decide visas or translate — WES says so itself: it offers no translation service.
For immigration to Canada its report has a name: the educational credential assessment, or ECA. IRCC requires one from anyone who studied outside Canada and wants to qualify for the Federal Skilled Worker Program, or to earn points for that education. It must be less than five years old both when you create your profile and when you apply.
WES is not the only designated body.
IRCC publishes the list; WES is on it, alongside others. What matters is that the body is designated, not that it is WES.
WES compares two systems. A translator only ever describes one: yours.
WES Canada or WES US: what changes
| Evaluation for Canada | Evaluation for the United States | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is for | The ECA IRCC requires, including for Express Entry | A US university, employer or licensing body |
| Documents to translate | Only those written in a language other than English or French | Everything not in English |
| A Cameroonian degree in English | No translation | No translation |
| A Cameroonian degree in French | No translation | An English translation |
Your WES account shows the list of documents that applies to you: that list decides, not this table.
The procedure, step by step
Pick the evaluation that matches your plan
An ECA for IRCC is not an evaluation for a US university. When in doubt, start from what the body receiving the report asks for.Check the Required Documents tool for Cameroon
Requirements vary with the country where you studied. The WES tool lists them before you even open a file.Have your institution send the official documents
WES wants official academic documents to come from the institution that issued them, not from you.Upload translations, if any are needed
Translations do not go in a sealed envelope: you upload them from your WES account, as PDF or JPEG files.Send nothing beyond what is asked
WES may request more documents during the review. It warns that sending extras unasked can delay the assessment.
Translation: usually unnecessary
In that case WES wants the translation made by a professional — affiliated with a university, a certified translation agency or a professional translation service — and rejects handwritten translations or translations made by the applicant.
WES also suggests asking your institution for two sets of documents: one for WES, one for the translator. That second set is where I can help — see diploma translation and transcript translation, with no grade ever converted.
On the Cameroonian side: what still needs checking
WES’s rule is clear: official documents come from the institution. What it does not say is how each Cameroonian university applies it — which office sends the documents, what it asks you for, how long it takes.
Ask your university’s registry as soon as your WES file is open: it is often the longest step, and the only one nobody else can move.
Frequently asked questions
My degree is in English. Does WES need a translation?
No. For an evaluation done in Canada, WES only asks for translations of documents written in a language other than English or French; for an evaluation done in the United States, of documents not in English. An English-language Cameroonian degree needs nothing either way.
Is WES accepted by IRCC for Express Entry?
Yes. World Education Services is on IRCC’s list of organisations designated to issue an educational credential assessment (ECA). IRCC only accepts assessments from designated organisations.
Can I send my transcripts to WES myself?
Not the official documents: WES wants them sent by the institution that issued them. Translations, where needed, are uploaded from your WES account, with no sealed envelope. WES’s Required Documents tool shows what applies to your country.
Who can translate for WES?
A professional translator, according to WES: one affiliated with a university, a certified translation agency or another professional translation service. WES rejects handwritten translations and translations made by the applicant, and does not offer translation itself.
For the rest of a Canadian file, see what IRCC asks for in translation; for an evaluation outside WES, our credential evaluation page.
Official sources
Consulted on 11 September 2026. Official instructions change: when they differ from this page, they prevail.
- WES — Translation Requirements for a WES Credential Evaluation — translation languages (Canada, US), accepted translators, uploads
- WES — Understanding Required Documents for Credential Evaluation — official documents sent by the institution, Required Documents tool
- WES — Educational Credential Assessment for Canada — WES designated by IRCC, additional documents
- IRCC — Educational credential assessment for Express Entry — who needs one, five-year validity, designated organisations
- WES — Required Documents tool